Big Northern all-conference football team hints Byron even better on defense than offense

Byron was the best football team in the Big Northern. That was obvious all season. And if there was ever any doubt that Byron was the best Class 3A team in the state, well, that ended well before halftime of Byron's 69-7 state title win over Mt. Carmel.

That left only one question about Byron's 2023 football season: Were the Tigers better on offense, where they scored a state-record 823 points, or were they better on defense, which set up so many of those points?

Well, according to conference coaches, Byron may have been even better on defense. Seven of the 11 Big Northern first-team all-conference picks were on defense, including the league's leading rusher, Caden Considine, at linebacker. (Many of Byron's stars played both ways, but players are only eligible for all-conference honors on one side of the ball). Byron also had three first-team picks on offense, plus kicker Nick Drake.

More: Byron football shows off young talent in most impressive state championship yet

Here are the complete 2023 Big Northern all-conference football picks:

First team offense

QB: Tyler Shaner (Dixon)

RB: Brayden Knoll (Byron)

RB: Aiden Wiseman (Dixon)

WR/TE: Chris Doetch (North Boone)

WR/TE: Josh Crandall (Oregon)

WR/TE: Kyle Jones (Byron)

WR/TE: Cullen Shaner (Dixon)

OL: Malachi Bagg (Stillman Valley)

OL: Nolan Brass (Byron)

OL: Tyler Herwig (Dixon)

OL: Jaron Hermes (Dixon)

OL: Briggs Sellers (Oregon)

K: Nick Drake (Byron)

More: Byron uses biggest blowout in IHSA state-final history to claim third championship

First team defense

DL: Braylon Kilduff (Byron)

DL: Jared Clauch (Byron)

DL: Josh Harris (Byron)

DL: Tyler Zepezauer (Dixon)

LB: Caden Considine (Byron)

LB: Jacob Ross (Byron)

LB: Eli Davidson (Dixon)

DB: Ashton Henkel (Byron)

DB: Kye Aken (Byron)

DB: David Ballard (Lutheran)

DB: Landon Knigge (Dixon)

P: Jaden Williams (Rockford Christian)

Second team offense

QB: Jack Christensen (North Boone)

RB: Logan Weems (Oregon)

RB: Gavin Sanders (Lutheran)

WR/TE: Tyson Dambman (Dixon)

WR/TE: Julian Rodriguez (North Boone)

WR/TE: Austin Egyed (Oregon)

OL: Tristan Swenson (Genoa-Kingston)

OL: Anthony Weimeschurch (Stillman Valley)

OL: Jacob Barber (Byron)

OL: Spencer Thomas (Dixon)

OL: Hunter Chamberlain (North Boone)

K: Santana Dixon (Lutheran)

Second team defense

DL: Aiden Hoggard (Dixon)

DL: Patrick McCarty (North Boone)

DL: Jacob Rhodes (Stillman Valley)

DL: Nick Ingram (Byron)

LB: Johnny DeKlerk (Stillman Valley)

LB: Hunter Evans (Lutheran)

LB: Anthony Bauer (Oregon)

DB: Supreme Muhammad (Winnebago)

DB: Keaton Rauman (Stillman Valley)

DB: Mario Ovalle (North Boone)

DB: Hunter Bartel (Oregon)

DB: Nathan Kleba (Genoa-Kingston)

P: Vincent Lombardo (Rock Falls)

Honorable mention

Jace Wagner (Byron), Carsen Behn (Byron), Peyton Dingley (Dixon), Andrew Scheffler (Dixon), Brady Brewick (G-K), Peyton Meyer (G-K), Connor McKibben (NB), Dominick Rayas (NB), Jack Washburn (Ore), Jackson Glendenning (Ore), Mike Flowers (Rock Falls), Austin Castaneda (Rock Falls), Jack Behmer (Lutheran), Landon Schoenweiss (Lutheran), Braden Rogers (SV), Kaenan McDevitt (SV), Logan Olson (Winn), Josh Cowman (Winn).

Contact: [email protected], @matttrowbridge or 815-987-1383. Matt Trowbridge has covered sports for the Rockford Register Star for over 30 years, after previous stints in North Dakota, Delaware, Vermont and Iowa City.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: State champ Byron dominates Big Northern all-conference football picks